Tag: Atsunori Inaba

Atsunori Inaba held a press conference at Sapporo Dome earlier today to announce his plans to retire after the current season. The Nippon Ham Fighters have uploaded portions of the press conference to Youtube.

Hideto Asamura (left knee) played in his first Ni-gun rehab game on Friday. He got the start as designated hitter against the Yomiuri Giants and batted second. He went 0-for-2. The game was called after the 4th inning due to rain. He will play in a couple more games and could rejoin the Ichi-gun roster on the 15th, assuming no setbacks. Source: Nikkan Sports 7/11/2014

Chiba Lotte Marines

Tadahito Iguchi is not quite himself: his right shin is still not 100 percent after an HBP on July 2 and he still feels some pain in the three fingers he hurt on his right hand while hitting the ball in May. Source: Sports Hochi 7/11/2014, Sponichi 7/11/2014

Luis Mendoza was taken off the active roster on Friday. He was scheduled to start Friday's game against Softbank at Sapporo Dome, but was scratched because of discomfort in the area near the base of his right thumb. He was removed from the active roster for rest (the Fighters want him fresh for the second-half) and because he is not scheduled to make another start before the All-Star break. Source: Nikkan Sports 7/11/2014

Tetsuya Utsumi (left shoulder) started a Ni-gun game against Nippon Ham on Tuesday. He gave up two runs on five hits over six innings of work. He threw eighty-six pitches, walked one, struck out four, and topped out at 141km/h. The two runs he allowed came on a two-run home run to Kenji Sato in the 6th. He is currently scheduled to return to the active roster in time for a start on the 9th against Yokohama. Source: Sponichi 7/1/2014, Nikkan Sports 7/1/2014

Hanshin Tigers

Tsuyoshi Nishioka missed Tuesday's game against the Yakult Swallows because of tightness in his right elbow. He participated in pre-game warm-ups and batting practice, but did not fielding practice. Whether or not plays on Wednesday will depend on how he is feeling before the game. Source: Daily Sports 7/1/2014, Sponichi 7/1/2014, Nikkan Sports 7/1/2014

Rakuten Eagles

Zach Lutz took an HBP off his right forearm during a game against Nippon Ham on June 29. He was examined at a hospital on Tuesday and diagnosed with a bruise. He did not play on Tuesday and is a question mark for Wednesday. Source: Nikkan Sports 7/1/2014

Nippon Ham Fighters

Atsunori Inaba (left knee) played in a Ni-gun rehab game against Yomiuri on Tuesday. He was the starting designated hitter and batted third. He went 0-for-2: F7, Kl. Source: Nikkan Sports 7/1/2014

Kensuke Kondo (left hamstring) also played in Tuesday's Ni-gun game against Yomiuri. He entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Inaba in the 6th and went 1-for-3 with an RBI. It was his first game since June 15. Source: Nikkan Sports 7/1/2014

Kentaro Nishimura (right thigh) is scheduled to pitch in his second batting practice scrimmage on Sunday. He pitched in his first scrimmage on the 27th. His workouts on Saturday included playing catch and weight training. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/28/2014

Chunichi Dragons

Ryosuke Hirata was diagnosed with a left ankle sprain. He was taken off the active roster on Saturday. He will return to Nagoya for additional tests. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/28/2014

Kazuki Yoshimi (right elbow, right thigh) started a Ni-gun game against Orix on Friday. He gave up four runs (three earned) on seven hits over six innings of work. He threw 103 pitches, topped out at 146km/h, and struck out nine. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/28/2014

Yakult Swallows

Yasuhiro Ogawa will most likely make his next Ni-gun rehab start on July 5 against the Futures. He is scheduled to pitch five innings. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/28/2014 ... Ogawa threw thirty-one of thirty-six pitches for strikes during his Ni-gun rehab start against Yomiuri on Friday. Source: Sports Hochi 6/28/2014

Junji Ogawa hopes Wladimir Balentien (left Achilles tendon) will be okay to return some time during a nine-game stretch that begins on July 8. Source: Sanspo 6/28/2014

Nippon Ham Fighters

Atsunori Inaba (left knee) cut his workouts at Kamagaya short on Friday (June 27) because of problems with his lower body. No official word on what the problem was, but he was apparently examined at a hospital. Inaba mentioned after a Ni-gun rehab game against Yokohama on Tuesday (June 24) that his first step out of the batter's box did not feel right when he hit a single to center in the 3rd inning. He went 0-for-3 the following day and was able to participate in practices on Thursday (June 26). Source: Nikkan Sports 6/28/2014

Yoshihisa Naruse will be taken off the active roster with pain in his left shoulder. Source: Sponichi 6/24/2014 ... Naruse felt the pain while pitching on Monday. The shoulder was not feeling any better when he tried to played catch during practices on Tuesday. Source: Sports Hochi 6/24/2014 ... "I thought [maybe I could pitch through it], but it felt no better today when I tried playing catch. I reported [the pain] because I thought this could become a burden if I kept quiet. This is frustrating, but I would like to get better so I can support the team," Naruse said. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/24/2014

Softbank Hawks

Seiichi Uchikawa (right gluteus maximus) played in a Ni-gun practice game against Honda Kumamoto on Tuesday. He was the starting designated hitter and batted third. He went 0-for-3. He will play in another Ni-gun game on Wednesday and could return to the active roster in time for the Seibu series that begins on the 27th. Source: Sponichi 6/24/2014 ... Uchikawa told reporters his right gluteus maximus was at about eighty percent. Source: Sports Hochi 6/24/2014 ... Uchikawa struck out swinging in his first at bat, grounded out to short in his second, and flied out to center in his third. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/24/2014

Kodai Senga (right shoulder) was trying to make it back to the active roster on the 27th, but might end up missing more time. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/24/2014

Nippon Ham Fighters

Atsunori Inaba (left knee) played in his first Ni-gun rehab game on Tuesday against Yokohama. He was the starting designated hitter and batted third. He went 1-for-2: strikeout looking, single to center. He was replaced by a pinch-runner in the 3rd. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/24/2014

Dai-Kang Yoh (left knee) could play in his first Ni-gun rehab game on July 1 against Yomiuri at Kamagaya. He suffered a laceration on his left knee during a game on the 9th that required eleven stitches. Eight of stitches were removed on the 21st. There were left in place because the cut was not fully healed. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/24/2014

Tsuyoshi Nishioka played in a Ni-gun game gainst Rakuten on Wednesday and got the start at third. It was the first time he played defense in a rehab game since his injury. He batted lead-off and went 1-for-4. Source: Sponichi 6/18/2014 ... Nishioka was originally scheduled to get three at bats on Wednesday, but pushed to play through nine innings. He handled six chances at third without any problems. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/18/2014 ... Nishioka went 1-for-2 in Tuesday's Ni-gun game against Rakuten: single to right; walk then stole second; fly out to deep left. Source: Sponichi 6/18/2014

Yakult Swallows

Tony Barnette (left knee) worked out with the Ichi-gun players at Jingu Gaien on Wednesday. The Swallows are expected to add him to the active roster on Thursday. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/18/2014

Seibu Lions

Takeya Nakamura left Wednesday's game against Chunichi on defense in the 5th because of discomfort in his right elbow. He is not scheduled for a hospital examination. The Lions will see how things go with ice treatment. Source: Sponichi 6/18/2014

Nippon Ham Fighters

Shogo Yagi had surgery to treat an acromioclavicular joint injury in his left shoulder. He suffered the injury during practices on the 13th. He will require about three months for a full recovery. Source: Sanspo 6/18/2014

Atsunori Inaba (left knee) missed a Ni-gun game against Lotte on Tuesday because of lower back pain caused by fatigue. The back pain started on the 11th. It may have been because he was favoring the left knee without knowing it. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/18/2014

Kensuke Kondo felt discomfort in the back of his left thigh while running the bases during a game against Yakult on the 15th. He was examined at a hospital in Sapporo and diagnosed with a mild strain. He was taken off the active roster on Tuesday to give the injury more time to heal. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/18/2014

Ginji (lower back) worked out at the Ni-gun facilities in Sendai on Wednesday. He resumed soft-toss batting practice a few days ago. There is still no timetable on when he will play his first rehab game. Source: Sponichi 6/4/2014

Seibu Lions

The Lions announced on Tuesday that tests conducted on Hideto Asamura's left knee on Monday did not reveal any problems. Source: Sanspo 6/4/2014 ... Asamura left Wednesday's game against Yokohama early because of pain in his left knee. He will most likely be taken off the active roster on Thursday. Source: Sanpso 6/4/2014

Softbank Hawks

Hayato Terahara (right knee) began his rehab at the Saitozaki facilities on Wednesday. His day included trunk strengthening exercises and getting treatment for the knee. He will require the use of crutches for about a week. His goal right now is to be ready to pitch during spring camp next year. Source: Sponichi 6/4/2014

Seiichi Uchikawa (right gluteus maximus) resumed soft-toss batting practice on Tuesday. He swung the bat at about eighty percent. He hopes to be running sprints before the end of the week. He would like to be ready on defense as well, but that may not be a top priority. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/4/2014

Toru Hosokawa was taken off the active roster on Wednesday after he fouled a ball off his left knee on Tuesday. He is currently unable to squat. Source: Sponichi 6/4/2014

Nippon Ham Fighters

Shohei Otani hurt his left ankle when he slid into home plate on a close play in the 5th inning of Wednesday's game against Hiroshima. He was removed from the game and the ankle was treated with ice. He was also examined by the team doctor and diagnosed with a mild sprain in a lateral ankle ligament. Source: official announcement

Atsunori Inaba (left knee) could play in his first Ni-gun rehab game during an upcoming three-game series against Yomiuri that begins on the 10th. He took thirty-nine swings during batting practice with the Ichi-gun team on Tuesday and hit three over the fence. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/4/2014

Tadashi Settsu (right shoulder) threw fifty-six pitches in the bullpen on Monday. He is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Yomiuri Giants at YafuOku Dome. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/3/2014

A batted ball bounced off the outfield wall during Sunday's game against Yakult and struck Akira Nakamura in the face. Nakamura was later diagnosed with a bruise on his right cheek. There were concerns about his vision due to swelling, but he appeared to be okay when he checked in with team trainers for treatment on Monday. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/3/2014 ... Nakamura was in the starting line-up on Tuesday.

Hayato Terahara had surgery on his right knee on May 27. He was discharged from a hospital in Fukuoka on Tuesday. He is scheduled to begin his rehab on Wednesday. Source: Sponichi 6/3/2014, Nikkan Sports 6/3/2014

Orix Buffaloes

Yoshio Itoi suffered a cut on his lower lip when a ball he hit bounced and struck him on the month during Sunday's game against Yomiuri. He needed three stitches to close the cut. They will be removed in about a week. He is not expected to miss any playing time. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/3/2014 ... Itoi was in the starting line-up on Tuesday.

Nippon Ham Fighters

Atsunori Inaba (left knee) joined the Ichi-gun team for pre-game practices on Tuesday. "I am at 100 percent in terms of hitting. I still can't run at full speed. I have some pain with my first few steps," Inaba said. He will return to Ni-gun on Saturday and could play in a rehab game some time next week. Source: Sports Hochi 6/3/2014

Michel Abreu might end up missing the first-half of the season with lower back pain. Abreu is currently getting treatment in the United States. There is still no timetable on when he might be able to resume practices or when he might be able to return to Japan. Source: Nikkan Sports 6/3/2014

Senichi Hoshino will probably spend the next week to ten days preparing for his surgery. He might be able to return to his duties about a month after the procedure. The start of the second-half of the season (July 21) is a possibility. His status for the All-Star game is up in the air. Hoshino is no longer traveling with the team -- he moved to a separate location on Wednesday. Source: Nikkan Sports 5/29/2014, Sports Hochi 5/29/2014

Kevin Youkilis (left heel) attended an event for the Red Sox in Boston on the 28th. A leg/foot specialist in California is currently providing Youkilis with treatment. "The pain was so bad that I could not do anything for the team," said Youkilis. "I'll be able to play once the pain goes away." He also said he could not set a timetable at this point in time. Source: Nikkan Sports 5/29/2014 ... The Eagles received an update on Thursday that pointed to a possible return in about two months. They also had a chance to speak to Youkilis and were able to confirm that he wanted to return to Japan. Source: Daily Sports 5/29/2014

Softbank Hawks

Kenji Otonari (ossification of yellow ligament) pitched in a Ni-gun rehab game against Hanshin on Thursday. He entered the game in the 9th and did not allow a run or a hit over 0.2 innings of work. He did walk two. Source: Sports Hochi 5/29/2014

2nd round draft pick Daiki Tomei left Thursday's game against Chunichi after he took a ball hit by Yohei Oshima in the 6th inning off his right hand/wrist. He got treatment off the field and returned to the mound, but was replaced after throwing one practice pitch. Source: Daily Sports 5/29/2014, Sponichi 5/29/2014, Nikkan Sports 5/29/2014